Water restrictions in Tampa, FL — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Tampa residents are subject to year-round, twice-weekly lawn watering limits set by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and adopted by City Code Chapter 26. Irrigation is allowed only before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on two designated days per week based on address. Violations carry fines up to $450 and can be cited by Tampa Water Department enforcement staff and Code Enforcement. Hand watering and micro-irrigation are exempt.
Tampa lies within the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), which issued a standing year-round watering restriction order codified locally in Tampa City Code Chapter 26 (Water). The rule is not seasonal: it applies every month of the year regardless of drought stage. Residential and commercial automatic irrigation systems may operate only two days per week, and only before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m., to reduce midday evaporative loss. Watering days are assigned by street address: odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Saturday; even-numbered addresses water Thursday and Sunday; mixed, rights-of-way, and common areas water Tuesday and Friday. Irrigation on Monday is prohibited district-wide to give water plants a recovery day. Low-volume micro-irrigation, drip systems, soaker hoses, and hand watering with a shutoff nozzle are exempt and allowed any day at any time. New sod and plantings receive a 30-day establishment period with any-day watering followed by a stepped-down 30-day schedule before regular restrictions resume. Rain sensors are required on all new or replaced automatic irrigation systems under Florida Statutes §373.62. During declared drought (Phase II, III, or IV), SWFWMD can tighten the schedule to one day per week or ban non-essential outdoor use. Enforcement in Tampa is shared between the Water Department's conservation inspectors and the Neighborhood Enhancement Code Enforcement team. Fines typically escalate from a warning to $250 for a second violation and up to $450 for subsequent violations within a 12-month period.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Tampa code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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